


6 Months to Opening of Jagged Little Pill/Crabgrass Frontier

by vallhund



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:03:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29704470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vallhund/pseuds/vallhund
Summary: Several months before the beginning of turn up the stage lights, rising theatre world powerhouse Daenerys Targaryen travels to Hayford, in the suburbs of King's Landing, to recruit veteran events manager Jasper Darry for a renascent Targaryen Organisation. For Darry, who remembers her father's time at the company, the encounter stirs up long-buried memories.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	6 Months to Opening of Jagged Little Pill/Crabgrass Frontier

**Author's Note:**

  * For [potato_writes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/potato_writes/gifts).
  * Inspired by [turn up the stage lights](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27962987) by [potato_writes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/potato_writes/pseuds/potato_writes). 



> This is a scene I've had kicking around my head ever since I read potato_writes' excellent turn up the stage lights.
> 
> Content warning: mentions of domestic violence (not depicted on page).

**Hayfordmarch Council to Purchase Colisee as Targaryen Organisation Continues to Unravel**

_Walder Rivers Newsday_ **,** _18 July, 2000_

_Spokeswoman confirms that the Boars intend to continue as tenants for the 2000-2001 season_

**HAYFORD CITY—** After months of upheaval, brought about by revelations of personal misconduct, and possible domestic violence, on the part of Visway impresario Aerys Targaryen, the Targaryen Organisation today confirmed the sale of the Hayford Colisee, built during the expansion of the Crownlands suburbs in the late 1960s.

Owned and operated by a division of the organisation, Targaryen Venues, which also operates the Duskendale City Music Hall, the Colisee was the largest sports and music arena east of the Trident when it was constructed, and has hosted dozens of concerts, hockey and basketball games, and conventions in the years since. The Hayford Boars, of the Westerosi Basketball Association, have played home games at the Colisee since 1983.

Sources at the Boars’ front office confirmed that they had pushed for a sale, amid concerns that fans would avoid a location operated by the Targaryen family. A person close to Boars’ ownership commented that it was “meteor-strike unlikely” that the organisation would move now.

Reached by the _News,_ Council press secretary Hother Umber stated that “the Colisee has been a centre of the Greater Hayfordmarch cultural scene for decades. The Council is resolved to keep this extraordinary venue, regarded as a key part of modern Westerosi architectural history, open for business, and ready to welcome sports and music fans, convention goers and people from all walks of life.

“The payment plan reached with the Targaryen Organisation means that reductions in staff at the site are unlikely.”

_Targaryen Bodyguard Pleads Guilty_

In another development, Mr. Targaryen’s bodyguard, Jonothor Darry, entered a guilty plea at Dragonstone Criminal Court late yesterday. Darry, 47, with an address at The Angles, in Rosbyford, had been accused of witness intimidation, and obstruction of justice, after attempting to dissuade Visway actor Jaime Lannister from disclosing details of Targaryen’s misbehaviour to the media.

Darry faces additional charges, of failing his duties as a mandated reporter, in the westerlands. The former Maidenpool Watchman had retained his law enforcement credentials after joining a private security firm, obliging him to report suspected violence against vulnerable persons. In a filing at Lannisport Criminal Court two days ago, Crown Prosecutor Sumner Crakehall alleged that Darry failed to contact emergency services after Targaryen assaulted his wife on the night of the Lannisport Film Festival. Proceedings are ongoing.

+++

The afternoon sun caught the edge of Jasper Darry’s desk as he pulled up the latest email from the cleaning company.

_Bastards are trying to squeeze us dry, I swear to the Seven._ He liked the janitors themselves, but the agency was relentlessly greedy.

“Jas—Mr. Darry, there’s a woman to see you?”

He looked up, and froze.

The woman standing at his door, beside his secretary, was petit, maybe not even five feet, with the distinct white hairand purple eyes that he hadn’t seen in years.

“Mr. Darry?” Her voice was …familiar. _I suppose it would be._

“Yes.” Jasper stood up, locking his computer. “Jon, I’m going to head out. The Boars’ management team called about the concessions tax problem earlier, so you can take that off my calendar.”

“You got it, boss.”

“Right. Now then.”

The two of them walked slowly through the corridor behind the stands, eventually coming to a halt at the wheelchair-accessible platform.

“It’s enormous.”

Looking to his right, Jasper could see Daenerys Targaryen’s eyes sparkling a bit.

“Your great-uncle was a genius, that’s all I’m going to say.” He leaned against the railing. “This was revolutionary in its day, and it’s lasted half a century now.”

“It was ours for most of that time.”

He nodded. “It was. When I started working here, certainly, but…the Hayfordmarch Council’s been a good set of owners. We’ve had some good shows here, we held onto the Boars, which I wasn’t sure was going to happen…gone pretty well, I’d say.”

They were silent for a moment.

“Well, we’d best get going.” They started down the stairs. “It’s just a couple blocks away.”

“I’m surprised how walkable it is out here,” she said quietly, as they reached the automatic doors.

“Yeah, Hayfordmarch is pretty dense. I grew up in Darry, and you _cannot_ get around without a car there, believe me.”

The Hoggstower village centre was very active in the early evening, with a number of young couples walking around. _Not that anyone’ll mistake us for….well, maybe they will._ He was almost old enough to be her father.

He had picked Sovenigno’s for their meeting, a busy little Myrish place overlooking the lake. Daenerys waited until they’d ordered a small set of appetisers to speak.

“Thank you for doing this at such short notice.”

“My pleasure.” He’d been single for a long time, no children, and it had been very easy to find the time. Not that he said that.

“So.” Her tone turned businesslike, and he saw the shade of her mother for a moment. “You’re looking for a new role.”

Jasper nodded slowly. “I am. I can’t complain about the way the Colisee’s been run, but…it’s turning into a pretty slow job. I like this role, I like managing buildings and logistics, but there’s no sense of urgency. I’ve been doing the same thing for five years.”

She nodded, looking at the tablecloth. “And you know the Targaryen Organisation.”

“Yes.” He sighed. “I was downtown at the beginning, at the upstairs office in the Dragonstone, but your great-uncle wanted me out here. That’s the only reason I made it.”

“Because my father…”

“Never knew me. The police questioned me, of course, but I didn’t have all that much to say. My uncle, on the other hand….well, you know what happened there.”

Daenerys’ hands tensed up. “Do you blame my mother, for—“

“No.” His tone was firm. “Jon had a job to do, and he didn’t do it. The family’s pretty divided on this, I won’t lie to you, but…what he did was wrong. He’s certainly paid the price, though.”

“I suppose so.” The waitress dropped off two plates of sliced smoked meats, cheese and artichoke hearts, and they fell to eating for a moment.

“The Dragonstone’s the only one we’ve got left.” He looked up. “For now.”

“You’re going to expand again, or…?”

“Visway’s on the brink of change.” She pushed her now empty plate back. “There’s…there’s a lot that goes unsaid about the industry, a lot of people who are going to fall, and soon. When they do, we’ll be there.”

Something about her reminded him—just a little bit—of Rhaegar. _When he was young, when he was interested in people his own age. Maybe this is who he could’ve been._

“What are your challenges?"

She sighed. “Getting a good director. We’ve almost got Stannis Baratheon on board.”

His eyes widened. “What’s your opening show?”

“ _Jagged Little Pill,_ the musical. We got the stage rights, Ms. Harlaw was very open to collaboration.”

Jasper sank back in his chair, dazed. _Stannis_ freaking _Baratheon_? He’d gone to _Company_ when he was still seeing Lyn Corbray, and had been absolutely blown away.

“You’re pretty serious, then.”

“Dead serious. There’s a lot of work ahead of us, but…”

“If you want me, I’m definitely in.”

“It’s done.”

He blinked. She laughed softly. “I hadn’t interviewed anyone else yet, Mr.—Jasper. You came very highly recommended.”

“I…well, then.”

Thankfully, the entrees arrived just about then.

+++

**LOCAL BUSINESS ROUNDUP**

**Longtime Head of Operations at Hayford Colisee to Rejoin Targaryen Organisation**

_Leo Tyrell, West Crownlands Public Radio_

Jasper Darry, head of Operations for the Hayford Colisee, was today confirmed to have accepted a position in the regrowing Targaryen Organisation, based at the Dragonstone Theatre in the city.

Mr. Darry, 45, has worked at the Colisee since it was owned by a division of the Targaryen Organisation. Sources at the Organisation confirmed that Darry would assume a senior role in the back office, with responsibility building code and occupational safety, cleaning and other facilities management duties.

Colisee management could not be reached for comment.

**Author's Note:**

> The Hayford Colisee is based on the real-life Nassau County Coliseum, in Uniondale, NY.


End file.
